LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Chargers will begin mandatory minicamp this week for their final three days of practice before training camp in July.
There's a major position battle on the offensive line, significant offensive and defensive changes and a rookie class that coach Jim Harbaugh will need to contribute in Year 1 as this team looks to win the franchise's first Super Bowl.
Here are five questions for the Chargers as minicamp begins:
How much progress has Justin Herbert made in Mike McDaniels offense?
They have only been together for a few months but the two have remained lockstep in adjusting how Herbert plays the quarterback position.
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One of the first proper looks at that shift will be during minicamp. McDaniel wants Herbert to get the ball out quicker, throwing with more anticipation to get receivers the ball in space and more opportunities to get yards after catch. In turn, McDaniel said this offseason that the entire Chargers wide receiver corps can expect career highs in receiving yards.
"It's been a better mesh than I even thought it would be," said Harbaugh.
Minicamp could illuminate how much Herbert's mechanics have already changed, or if there is a noticeable difference in how fast he's hitting receivers on average. McDaniel wants Herbert to get the ball out in under 2.4 seconds, where he's been effective throughout his career.
In an Instagram video, ESPN college football analyst Max Browne pointed out that Herbert has already been practicing different footwork, shifting from a stance with his right foot ahead of his left in the shotgun to his left foot just slightly in front of his right.
The Chargers hired Chris O'Leary to be their defensive coordinator in January. He's spent all offseason working to make the unit his own. (AP Photo/William Liang) What's different about Chris O'Leary's defense? O'Leary, who was the Chargers' safeties coach in 2024, left the team ahead of last season to become the defensive coordinator at Western Michigan. There, his defense ranked ninth in the FBS and second in the Mid-American Conference in scoring (17.4 points allowed per game).
Now O'Leary is tasked with replacing his mentor and former defensive coordinator, Jesse Minter, who is now the Baltimore Ravens coach, and for two seasons turned around a Chargers defense that was one of the league's worst into one of its best.